Your View: In Fairhaven, the time has come to listen to one another

I am writing as a Friend of Fairhaven Wind and a supporter of our wind turbines. I am also writing as someone who lives less than 2,000 feet from the wind turbines. It is time for another voice to be heard in this town. This is "my" truth.

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By MELODY AFFONCE

southcoasttoday.com

By MELODY AFFONCE

Posted Jul. 10, 2013 at 12:01 AM

By MELODY AFFONCE

Posted Jul. 10, 2013 at 12:01 AM

» Social News

I am writing as a Friend of Fairhaven Wind and a supporter of our wind turbines. I am also writing as someone who lives less than 2,000 feet from the wind turbines. It is time for another voice to be heard in this town. This is "my" truth.

The decision by the town to install turbines in an effort to become more eco-friendly and save money was applauded in my household. We eagerly anticipated the day when we would see those blades spinning. The construction of the turbines was exciting and the sight of the completed turbines, awe-inspiring. No matter where I am in town, I look for them. Every time I exit my local grocery store, I stop to take in their beauty. The knowledge that they are helping to preserve our little piece of this planet brings joy to me. Whenever I am coming back into town, I look for them. They have become, for me, a symbol of my town.

They have not caused any illnesses or health problems in my house. My 60-year-old mother has actually stopped using her white noise machine at night and now uses the turbine's rhythmic shushing to lull her to sleep. I also enjoy the gentle, rhythmic shushing. It calms and lulls me to sleep at night. My 14-year-old daughter, who had a bone marrow transplant in September 2008, has suffered no ill effects either. Her blood counts remain normal. Her graft-versus-host disease is still in remission. She is healthier now than she has ever been in her life. And lastly, my baby brother, who is severely autistic with a seizure disorder, has suffered no ill effects either. He visits with us for six to eight hours every Sunday. My brother's seizures while at my house have not increased since the turbines started functioning. Nor has he suffered any other ill effects. Of all the households in Fairhaven, shouldn't someone in my household be suffering in some way?

There is a pretty varied demographic in my household. Shouldn't someone be affected, if the turbines are really that bad for us? It is time for the residents of the town of Fairhaven who support clean energy and the truth to make their voices heard. It is time to have civil, educated discussions about how to rectify this situation to the benefit of all parties involved. It is time to remind Fairhaven town government that they represent all the residents of Fairhaven.

It is time to stop scaring our children. It is time to stop terrorizing our neighbors. It is time to sit down, talk to each other and hear everyone's truth.